“In this series we bring you our #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions which we personally recommend”
The holidays wouldn’t be complete withour Township 7 wines gracing your table. I know they will be on mine. Whether you are pairing with a traditional turkey or baked ham or a brunch of waffles or eggs benny there is a wine that’s just right from Township 7.
Here are a few of our favourites:
BENCHMARK SERIES | NEW VINTAGE
2021 Riesling
TASTING NOTES
Our 2021 single-vineyard Riesling embodies the varietal with aromas of lime, pineapple, and apricot. It boasts a dry, crisp palate with a flinty minerality.
STYLISTIC NOTES
Crafted from 100% Riesling from the Fool’s Gold Vineyard in North Oliver. Under the long-time ownership of Mark Antonello, a well-known vineyard manager, and planted by his father-in-law Richard Cleave, the Okanagan’s most renowned viticulturist. The fruit was gently pressed and cold settled before the majority was fermented in concrete, with a small portion fermented in older barriques. The fermentation took 4 weeks, which resulted in the retention of the most delicate fruit aromatics. The concrete fermentation added a nice creamy texture to the palate, balancing the vibrant acidity. This wine promises great ageability in bottles over the coming years.
FOOD PAIRING
It is a versatile and food-friendly wine that can pair with fresh oysters, crab, or soft, robust cheeses.
VINTAGE REPORT
The 2021 vintage is considered one of the most challenging growing seasons in the British Columbia wine industry. The warm spring led to an extremely hot and dry summer. Record temperatures across the province challenged us to keep the vines cool and watered. The heat dome struck the province just as the berries set and bunches were swelling, shutting the growth down. This resulted in much lower crop levels, varying by location, from 10-50% down. The lower yields meant earlier ripening, and we started harvesting Chardonnay for sparkling on August 24th and completed our reds harvest on October 14th, well ahead of usual. We also grappled with local smoke in certain south Okanagan regions. Most growers were unscathed, however a few vineyards in Okanagan Falls and Osoyoos were affected by smoke taint, as they were extremely close to the fires. Overall, despite the trials from Mother Nature, the quality of the wine is great. We have maintained excellent acidity and balance within the wines. Yields were low, but quality was certainly high.
2021 Merlot
Appellation: Okanagan
Finely nuanced, this vintage of our Merlot expresses aromas of red cherry, plum and savoury spices along with subtle layers of tobacco leaves, dark chocolate, and vanilla. Sourced from our own Oliver estate and the Remuda Vineyard in Okanagan Falls, the blend of these two terroirs imparts a greater complexity and depth to the wine. Oak barrel aging brings a velvety texture, softening the tannins and enhancing the ageability.
STYLISTIC NOTES
Terrace Vineyard and longtime growers Dwight and Arnie Gash’s Remuda Vineyard in Okanagan Falls. In Oliver, the rich, rocky soils provide a foundation for superior grape quality. The Gash’s property has glacial till soils with abundant gravel and boulders allowing for excellent drainage. Ripe tannins also developed in the warmth of their south facing, hillside site, providing additional complexity and structure to the blend. Two to three weeks of maceration time which included remontage, pipeage and pulsair treatments, resulted in a wine with rich fruit extraction and satisfying tannins. Aged in American and French barrels for 18 months brought forth caramel and vanilla notes, mellowing the mouthfeel.
FOOD PAIRING
Enjoy with succulent grilled filet mignon alongside garlic-infused mashed potatoes or for a vegan pairing try a hearty lentil and vegetable stew. A good dessert option is decadent dark chocolate mousse drizzled with raspberry coulis.
VINTAGE REPORT
The 2021 vintage is considered one of the most challenging growing seasons we have seen in the British Columbia wine industry. The warm spring led to an extremely hot and dry summer. Record temperatures were set across the province and challenged us to keep the vines cool and watered. The heat dome struck the province just as the berries set and bunches were swelling, shutting the growth down. This resulted in much lower crop levels, varying by location, from 10-50% down. The lower yields meant earlier ripening and we started harvesting Chardonnay for sparkling August 24th and completed our reds harvest October 14th, well ahead of usual.
We also had challenges with local smoke in certain south Okanagan regions. Most growers were unscathed, however a few vineyards in Okanagan Falls and Osoyoos were affected by smoke taint, as they were extremely close to the fires.
Overall, despite the challenges from Mother Nature the quality of the wine is great. We have maintained excellent acidity and balance within the wines. Yields were low but quality was certainly high.
2020 Syrah
Appellation: Okanagan
Medium to full-bodied, this single vineyard Syrah shows enticing aromas of rich dark fruit, black pepper, and hints of smoked meat. The palate expresses ripe wild blackberry, accompanied by a medley of spices and a touch of savoury earthiness. Reflective of its unique south Okanagan terroir, this vintage’s captivating layering of flavours and well balanced tannins, results in a harmonious and beautifully nuanced wine.
STYLISTIC NOTES
This Syrah was made with fruit from the Fool’s Gold Vineyard on Tucelnuit Drive in Oliver. Farmed by Mark Antonello, the property was planted over a decade ago by his father-in-law, renowned viticulturist, Richard Cleave. Its rocky terrain lends complexity and minerality to the wine. The soils also help the fruit ripen fully by maintaining warmth throughout the cool autumn nights. An 18-day fermentation was performed in 2 oak fermenters and one stainless steel tank. Pigeage and delestage management of the grapes during fermentation enables rich fruit extraction. After pressing, the wine was aged for 24 months in French and American oak barriques for enhanced tannins and fruit.
FOOD PAIRING
Pair with grilled herb rubbed lamb chops or a blackberry and arugula salad.
VINTAGE REPORT
This year brought just about everything mother nature could throw at us, although on balance turned out quite well. Cool, wet weather in the spring delayed bud burst about 7–10 days behind typical. Heavy rains during flowering interrupted pollination, leading to a poor fruit set. This became a defining feature of the vintage, with eventual yields down 20-30% from average. The humidity was higher than normal in June and early July causing some early disease pressure. However, July and August saw hot, dry weather, allowing ripening to catch up from the delayed start. Smoke generated from western United States wildfires drifted north to our region, at one point giving us almost 5 days of uninterrupted heavy smoke cover. Not only was this a scare for potential smoke taint, but also a possible loss in photosynthetic capacity of the vines. Luckily, blue skies soon reappeared and led to a warm, dry autumn. Veraison during this period was drawn out and seemed to be the longest we can recall in many years. This ultimately culminated in a very good balance between Brix and acids for the harvest.
The first frost was recorded in colder areas on October 16, and a significant snowfall on October 23. Vineyards in close proximity to the heat of Okanagan Lake were not affected by either of these events, and fortunately by this time, most of the harvest was complete. The year had average growing degree days of about 1600. On the Naramata Bench, there were few summer heat spikes, with only one day where temperatures reached 40°C. The majority of the days were in the high 20’s or low 30’s, perfect for even ripening of vinifera grapes. Harvest began slightly later than average on September 3rd with Chardonnay from Oliver for our sparkling wine program. We finished harvesting with Cabernet Franc from Oliver on November 2.
Overall, the grapes from this harvest were really nicely balanced, with good acidity and slightly lower sugar levels, making for wines with excellent balance, finesse, and ageability. However, lower yields meant that there is not as much wine made as we would have hoped.
(WINE CLUB EXCLUSIVE)
2022 seven stars RIGEL
TASTING NOTES
The seven stars RIGEL is named for the 7th brightest and one of the youngest stars in the night sky. Crafted in the méthode Champenoise style, the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation, or prise de mousse, “capturing the sparkle” in the bottle. This 2022 vintage expresses bright varietal aromatics of fresh lime and apple with light brioche notes. The palate has a hint of sweetness balanced by a crisp, flinty minerality. The delicate creamy mousse contributes lovely layers of complexity.
STYLISTIC NOTES
This méthode champenoise sparkling wine is crafted from Riesling grapes sourced from the sustainably managed Fool’s Gold Vineyard in North Oliver. Owned by vineyard manager Mark Antonello, the property was originally planted by his father-in-law, Richard Cleave, one of the Okanagan’s most renowned viticulturists. The vineyard’s sandy clay loam soils, filled with rocks and gravel, offer excellent drainage, ideal for premium grape growing. Only the finest free-run juice was used for this vintage, following a gentle pressing and careful separation. After cold settling, the juice underwent a cool fermentation in stainless steel to preserve its delicate fruit aromatics. The wine was aged en tirage for 12 months before being disgorged, and then a proprietary dosage was added for a delicious and dynamic sparkling wine.
FOOD PAIRING
Enjoy with fresh BC Oysters or Dungeness crab.
VINTAGE REPORT
The 2022 vintage was another year of extremes in British Columbia. The weather was unpredictable, with an unusually cool spring (one of the coolest springs ever on record in the Okanagan), followed by a remarkably warm autumn. The winter was very cold in December of 2021, causing some bud damage as temperatures dipped below -20°C. The cool, wet spring, particularly in April, May and June, led to late bud break. In some cases, flowering was almost 4 weeks behind average, while in Langley, we were 5 weeks behind normal. In addition, there was high disease pressure from powdery mildew due to the damp spring and leaf hoppers, which seemed to explode with the moderate temperature. As things began to heat up in late July, hail in Naramata damaged leaves and left some bruising on fruit. However, the warmer temperatures throughout August, September and October allowed the grapes to come to optimal ripeness. Fortunately, by fall harvest, the fruit was in excellent condition with good acidity and balance, and with higher yields than the previous 3 years. In summary, although the year started with an impending sense of doom, it dramatically improved by season’s end to become one of the best vintages in recent decades.
SIP & SPARKLE! LIGHT UP LANGLEY
South Langley
December 7 & 8, 2024
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
See the lights of Langley! Township 7 is proud to participate and be one of nine locations offering an interactive light up experience. Join us in December, and visit on the December 7 & 8 for complimentary mulled wine, hot chocolate, sugar cookies & popcorn while watching Holiday movies under our heated tent. We will have Cultivate Food Truck on Saturday from 12-4. Plus $1 from every bottle purchased will be donated to Langley Hospital Foundation. Support local this season. Walk-ins welcome as space permits, though reservations are recommended.
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
Naramata Bench
December 7 & 8, 2024
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Join us for a festive Holiday Open House at Township 7 Winery on the Naramata Bench. Enjoy a sparkling wine welcome upon arrival, complimentary wine tastings, and exclusive club pricing on all wine purchases. Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or simply looking for a cozy outing, our Open House is the perfect way to celebrate the season! Walk-ins welcome as space permits, though reservations are recommended.
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery
Our wine focus is on the production of small lot, high quality wine crafted with carefully chosen sustainably grown grapes from our estate vineyards and renowned local growers.
All fruit is hand-harvested when completely ripe, hand sorted, then gently pressed to preserve fruit integrity. Barrel aging in specially selected French and American oak barrels, provides specific spice characteristics. We then blend our wines from a selection of over 15 single vineyards to produce classic food friendly wines with greater complexity and balance.
This premium approach to crafting distinctive wines authentic to their varietal character has garnered Township 7 numerous 90+ ratings and over 100 awards.
Wine notes courtesy of the winery. Images: MyVanCity I received complimentasry wine to facilitate this feature.
